Tag Archives: Science fiction

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Cursed

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Cursed

(Brides of the Kindred #13)

by Evangeline Anderson

I have been in love with this series since reading Claimed after getting it because it was free. The stories always make me feel like I am a part of what is going on. The introduction of each new couple brings something a little different to the mix while still allowing you to keep up with those who came before. The planets as well as the inhabitants are so imaginative and strange that they keep you coming back to see what will happen next.

Stavros Rii was in charge of the HKR building in Asheville and stayed on Earth after the declaration of war against the Kindred because two people, a Kindred warrior and his bride were not allowed back onto the Mother ship by Councilor Terex. Stavros has not and does not plan to claim a bride but feels that the war is stupid. He has left the remote cabin where they have been staying because he has a feeling that someone on the mother ship is trying to contact him. He just wants to get to the HKR and find out what is needed of him.

Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Sayers had been a detective with the Asheville PD when war was declared on the Kindred. She is more than happy to sign up with the special force that is formed to kick the big aliens off the planet or lock them up as war criminals. She has had a special hatred of the Kindred ever since tragedy struck her family because of the draft. After getting off work she spots and starts to follow Stavros hoping to take him into custody. What follows is more than she bargained for and brings into question her feelings against the Kindred.

Stavros and Charlie are definitely one of the hotter couples to grace the pages, maybe because they are both hurt and need each other so badly. I cannot help but feel that everyone should give this series a read because you are either going to love it or hate it. While there is always a level of sameness involved the characters are always great and the story entertaining. You just have to get started.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Why can I feel her? Is it just because I’ve never let a female drink from me before? He didn’t know. He only knew that Charlotte Sayers was different and special somehow. And judging from the horrified look she’d given him as she backed into the fresher, she was also scared to death right now. Even if she wasn’t, she was still completely off limits and out of his reach. That didn’t stop him from wanting her. With a low groan, he threw an arm across his eyes. What have I done? Oh Gods, what have I done and how can I ever undo it? *”

― Evangeline Anderson, Cursed

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Dusk to Dust

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Dusk to Dust: Something to live for. Something to die for…

by Adrian Felder

I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I was not pulled into this story as evidenced by the fact that it took me almost a month to read it. Regardless of that I was still interested enough to keep coming back to read more of what was happening. The characters never fully jelled for me though I found myself rooting for them none the less. They seemed a little superficial without any real character traits you could grab onto that would make you really like or hate them, they were just the good guys or the bad guys. There are some grammatical, spelling, and word usage errors which can be distracting.

David Carpenter and Alana Ramirez are ex-Marines who have gone into the smuggling business since being separated from service. They have managed to make a fairly nice living off of their illegal activities though both are honorable people who have had no other choice. Now David has taken a job from Windcorp, a shady corporation operating on the planet Prospect, for a job he has not been briefed on. When things start to go wrong even before they set foot planet side he should have known that this would not end well.

In order to save the galaxy David must find a way to get around the lies, deceit, and villainy which surrounds him to save his home and himself.

Overall this was not a disappointment it just did not really ring the bell for me. I love science fiction and the planet was really the most interesting thing for me, with instances where the characters did something really great. Though it did not pull me in that does not mean it will not work better for someone else.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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Hell Divers

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Hell Divers
(Hell Divers #1)
by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

The first star is just because it is written by Nick Smith and I have a real penchant for his work. I have pretty much liked everything he has done so far and he did not let me down here. This is something I have never seen before and I have read a lot of science fiction and apocalyptic stories over the years. Nick has a great imagination when it comes to the creation of the creatures that are going to be inhabiting his world, and because I could actually visualize them I give even more points, because they are terrifying. I was not so sure about 250 years of what sounds like nuclear winter but I will defer to the science as written. The characters were introduced and gone in the blink of an eye and so most did not have a chance to be very fleshed out, but those who remained at least have room to grow.

Xavier Rodriguez is a Hell Diver who has managed to outlive most of those who decide to do the job. He has managed to survive 96 jumps when the life expectancy is a measly 15 jumps. X, as he is known to friends, is the leader of Team Raptor which happens to have 2 other veteran divers. X lives and works on the Hive, one of two remaining airships riding the currents and storms above a blighted world not fit for human habitation. His job and that of the other Hell Divers is to drop down to that uninviting land and make sure that the Hive continues to fly so that the last of humanity can survive.

When a distress call comes from the Ares, the other airship, Captain Maria Ash has no choice but to go to their rescue. But is she putting her ship in danger for nothing?

While I really did like the story of the divers I was less thrilled with the side story of what was going on aboard the ship itself. With the divers you had action, danger, sacrifice, and heroics of all types. With the passengers you had whining and ungratefulness, though maybe that was intentional. This is about an apocalypse that has left the world dead, class wars, family ties, survival, courage, and a lot more. This made me feel something for them all as they pushed to keep going and survive one more day. Was not happy with the end, but that was personal.

Anyone who likes stories of the apocalypse will love this. Highly recommend!

My rating: 4.75 of 5 stars

“We dive so humanity survives.”

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Odyssey

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odyssey

Odyssey (The Academy #5)

This grabbed me and made me lose sleep over the past few days because I did not want to put it down. Jack McDevitt is a master of creating a world with people you cannot help but admire and situations that are tense and filled with anticipation.

I love this series along with all it’s permutations because each is a little different but essentially the same. In space you cannot know what to expect and this brings the idea home in a solid manner. The science is sometimes accurate and sometimes theorizing but always interesting. I had wanted to be an astronaut and when I read these books I can at least feel like I made it out there.

Read these books for the sheer joy of flying off into the black and being entertained.

 

 

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

 

“Truth, beaten down, may well rise again. But there’s a reason it gets beaten down. Usually we don’t like it very much.”
― Jack McDevitt, Odyssey

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Starhawk

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starhawk

Starhawk (The Academy #7)

While I have loved riding with the Academy for years now, this was not my favorite adventure to date. This is a prequel which is about Priscilla ‘Hutch’ Hutchins and her first adventure after getting her pilots license and a job. It also is about the development of the Academy as an institution and the Wheel as the space port it needed to become in the future. These were the events that made her who she would later become, but it was not an easy read. The writing is fantastic as always and the characters are well developed and feel like friends more than just words on a page. The galaxy is vivid and I can see the relics left behind in my minds eye with no problem. It just did not have the same feel to it that I am used to having.

Priscilla’s training flight is not as uneventful as most usually are and she and Jake find themselves in the middle of a rescue. The rescue has to occur because of a radical who has placed a bomb on another ship which has blown up. There is a movement that feels the death of every life form on a planet in order to terraform is not acceptable and this is their way of protesting.

The theme throughout is about these individuals who are willing to do anything, including kill in order to save life on a far away planet while sacrificing human life. Priscilla makes a few flights but nothing very note worthy happens. I;m glad I read it because it is part of the story, but I just cannot totally recommend it except to those who have read the previous books.

 

 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

When finally they got through, the first thing Priscilla saw was Josh, floating a foot or two above the deck, his wrist tied to a frame. They tried to revive him, although Priscilla thought it was probably a cruel thing to do. If they succeeded, he would only feel that he had to go through it again.

 

 

 

 

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Angel 6.0: Pursuit

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25653845

Angel 6.0: Pursuit (Angel 6.0 #4)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was another great entry in the life of a girl who cannot seem to catch a break no matter what her situation. The story continues to build on itself bringing more and more complexity to the characters and to the world that they are living in. The tone can be fun and light at times making you laugh or just smile,it can then become dark, or very hot. I like the way it flows from situation to situation with surprises laid out as things progress.

Angel is less than thrilled to be returning to Gran space, though she is happy to see her royal friends on her return. What she finds is that in the short time she has been away Prince Rollick has grown and is moving out of his adolescence, and has decided that he wants Angel as more than a friend. She has decided to play matchmaker for two people who she is fond of and would like to see happy. But this is Angel and no matter what she does the universe seems to be against her ever finding a moment of happiness.

I have said it before and will say it again, this is a really great series! I love the fact that the characters continue to evolve both emotionally and intellectually. The heat level is high but does not interfere with the story and keeps me wanting more. I want to know what happens to Angel because I have come to really her, she feels what every woman feels over their lives at one point or another, that they are too different to be loved or nothing more than a freak. I am looking forward to the next installment!!

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The Long Afternoon of Earth

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15980560

The Long Afternoon of Earth

I generally love science fiction from the 50’s and 60’s but this was one of those that was just a little to bland for even me.  It starts in a very distant future where mankind has been reduced t not even a shadow of its former self. There was no explanation as to how the changes to the planet and the lifeforms came about, we were just thrust into the middle with nothing said. I know this was thought to be a good book and example of the genre but it left me flat. The characters had no personality and did not make me care about them, the plot was totally uninteresting and did not seem to really be going anywhere.
It’s a decent book but very slow. The characters are not likable and I found myself rooting for their demise. Overall I would recommend it, but only as a last resort.
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The Word Exchange

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18666199

The Word Exchange

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book seems to cover a number of genre’s including science fiction, mystery, and romance. The story is basically about the use of language and how it is used and how we would be affected without it. The story starts slowly but builds to a point that you become thoroughly engrossed with what is happening and trying to figure out who and what is behind things. The language is good but sometimes just a little over the head of someone who does not know about library science with references to people who you may have never heard of. I just looked them up to see who they were and learned something in the process. The characters are well written and you can’t help but have an opinion on them because you get a chance to really know those who are central to the plot and get a good look at the others.

Anana and her father Doug work for the Dictionary working on the NADEL (North American Dictionary of the English Language) and are preparing the 3rd edition for print. Doug is totally anti-MEME (a device used for everything from movies to banking) and has caused the deterioration of language because of its invasive nature into the minds of the public. Things seem to be going well though Anana is heartbroken over her breakup with Max, her boyfriend of 4 years and the mastermind behind a game which invites people to make up words, which he sells to Synchronics. This company is trying to corner the market on words and their meanings.

When people start to show signs of aphasia and illness it becomes a race to find out who or what is causing it and to find a cure before the world becomes infected.

This is an entertaining story but it is about more than words, it seems almost to be a cautionary tale about how technology can take away more than we are willing to lose if we are not careful. The romance is very low-key, mostly pining about lost love or not having the guts to say you love someone. The mystery elements are nicely done though you have an idea who is behind it but you need the why. I also have to say that Anana annoyed me a great deal of the time, she seemed to want to get killed to me because she did not really think much for someone who came off as smart and capable, but was acting like a five-year old who just had to be rebellious. Other than her I enjoyed the other characters and the action. This gave me something to think about and I like that.

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Revealed

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Revealed (Brides of the Kindred, #5)

Revealed (Brides of the Kindred #5)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was a nice entry because Nadiah is the first alien that we see get bonded.
I am so drawn to these books because of the great sex scenes but also because I like the characters and would want to be friends with them all.

Another great entry in the Brides of the Kindred series. As usual we start from a point not to far removed from the end of the previous book. We have multiple POV and multiple stories going on which are directly related to what is happening. The stories have a natural progression and always seem to bring just a little bit of something new each time. While we get to know new characters, we still have the pleasure of keeping up with those we have come to like from previous books. Each time you visit a new world you can see the differences that have been woven through it but also the similarities to our own. Things are starting to become even darker than they have before and that can bring a whole new element to the story.

Nadiah is from Tranq Prime, home world of the Blood Kindred, she came to the Mothership to attend the bonding ceremony of her cousin Sylvan and Sophie. But she came for more than that, she was also running from a bonding which her parents had arranged when she was only six years old. While on the ship she met a human male named Adam Rast and felt drawn to him thinking he was Kindred. Nadiah is being pulled back to Tranq Prime by her blood bond to Y’dex a cruel and abusive male who wants nothing more than to dominate and humiliate those around him. If she can find a champion to challenge the bond, then she can be free, otherwise she is doomed to a life of misery. And it seems that she has as Adam Rast steps up to do just that though he has no real chance of winning being human.

While we have met the usual types of Kindred- beast, blood, and twin there are more out there and we get to find out about some of the more exotic varieties. There is a hybrid by the name of Merrick who is part beast kindred and blood kindred and also a friend of Sylvan. Here is a bit of his story and what we can look forward to in the next installment.

These books are an interesting mix of science fiction, romance, erotica, mystery, and battles. I think everyone should give them a read. I have laughed, cried, hated, loved, and lusted through every book. There is nothing better than a hot man in a spaceship!

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